Bilwi

Bilwi, still widely called Puerto Cabezas, is the main town of the northern Caribbean autonomous region and the centre of Miskito life in Nicaragua: the Miskito language is dominant in the streets and the surrounding villages, and the town holds the regional council, a university and the churches, largely Moravian, that have shaped the coast since the nineteenth century. It sits on a low bluff above the sea with a long wooden pier, beaches north and south, and a market selling coconut bread, fish and rondón. There is very little tourism infrastructure and few visitors, and the appeal is the distinctness of the place rather than any sight. Access is by air from Managua or a long hard road journey through the interior.

History

The earliest known mention of the place is by an English pirate in the 17th century, and the village was one of eight English settlements in the region until they were evacuated in 1787. It grew as the company town of the Bragman's Bluff Lumber Company, which was granted land here in 1921, and its deep-water port became a transport hub of the coast (Wikipedia, Puerto Cabezas).

What's there

• Miskito daily life - the language and culture dominant in the town.
• The old pier - the wooden landing stage above the sea.
• Moravian churches - the denomination that shaped the coast.
• The market - coconut bread, fish and Caribbean cooking.

When to go

February to April is the driest window; the north Caribbean coast is very wet for most of the year and hurricanes are a real risk from August to November. Flights are the practical access.

Before you go

There is essentially no tourist infrastructure: few hotels, no organised tours, and little English or Spanish signage aimed at visitors. The road in is long and rough and often impassable. Recent hurricanes have damaged the region.

Nearby

The Miskito villages of the coast lie north and south; Bosawás is inland.

Key facts